Entering Week 3 of the 2018 NFL regular season the Cincinnati Bengals are now the only undefeated team in the AFC North division.
The Bengals, who beat the Indianapolis Colts 34-23 on the road in Week 1, easily took care of another AFC North team, the Baltimore Ravens, 34-23 Thursday night at home as quarterback Andy Dalton three for 265 yards and 4 first half touchdowns with 3 of them going to wide receiver A.J. Green, who finished the game with 69 yards receiving on 5 total catches.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers remained winless on the season in Week 2 with their 42-37 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the Cleveland Browns, who tied the Steelers in Week 1, lost a heartbreaker on the road Sunday to the New Orleans Saints 21-18.
Saints kicker Wil Lutz hit a 44-yard field goal with 26-seconds left in the fourth quarter to put New Orleans ahead 21-18. The Browns, however, had a chance to tie the game but their kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a 52-yard field goal 8-seconds left in regulation time. Gonzalez, who has since been waived by the Browns, also missed a 44-yard field goal attempt earlier in the game as well as two extra-point attempts.
In the loss, Browns quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed 22 of his 30 total pass attempts for 246 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. His one touchdown pass went to rookie wide receiver Antonio Callaway from 47-yards out. Taylor was also sacked 3 times by the Saints defense during the game.
Browns running back Carlos Hyde led his team in rushing on Sunday with 43 yards and a touchdown on 16 total carries. Hyde also caught one pass for 7 yards in the game.
As for the Browns defense, they held the Saints offense to 275 net yards on Sunday in New Orleans. While Saints quarterback Drew Brees did complete 28 of his 35 total pass attempts in the game for 243 yards and 2 interceptions, the Browns defense sacked him 3 times in total. While they failed to intercept Brees during the game, the Browns defense did force and recover two fumbles.
Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi recorded two of the Browns 3 sacks during the game and defensive back T. J. Carrie and linebacker Joe Schobert both had 8 total defensive tackles to lead Cleveland.
The Browns will get Week 3 started Thursday night when they host the 1-1 New York Jets. The Ravens will host the 2-0 Denver Broncos on Sunday while the Bengals will look to stay perfect Sunday afternoon on the road against the 1-1 Carolina Panthers. The Steelers will close out Week 3 with a Monday night road game against the 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who opened the season with wins against the Saints and Philadelphia Eagles.
